12_29_11 Msg. from Howard, Heart Healthy Pizza, Pink Slime

Howdy! Welcome to the 72nd issue of the Mad Cowboy Newsletter. Today we ve got a special end-of-the-year letter from Howard, and an announcement about the new

Message 1 of 1
, Dec 29, 2011

Howdy! Welcome to the 72nd issue of the Mad Cowboy Newsletter.

Today we've got a special end-of-the-year letter from Howard, and an announcement about the new "Heart Healthy Pizza" cookbook (with a Foreward by Howard).

In this edition of the newsletter, you'll learn about the prolific and knowledgeable Dr. Greger's new website, "NutritionFacts" with superb short videos on scores of topics. There's also information in this issue about which food companies are spending the most on lobbying Congress, a new report on the state of America's Heart Health, and how a very large study indicates that vegetables and fruits significantly lower your risk of strokes.

Reading further, find out about the world's "toughest woman" (hint: she's vegan), see a video of former President Clinton discussing his vegan diet, find out what vegan Ellen Degeneres is up to, and the stats in a recent survey by the Vegetarian Resource Group on the number of vegans in the United States. Monsanto has some serious problems, cows contribute much more to Global Climate Change than previously thought, the movie "Farmageddon" is screened on Capitol Hill, crows have a "danger" tool, and the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act is being legally challenged.

As usual, there's an abundance of new items in the Mad Cow Info Round-Up ("Pink Slime?") and lots to see and hear in the Vegan Digital Media Theater.

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*00: A Special "End of the Year" Message from Howard
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"With Jack Frost nipping your cheeks it is clear that 2011 is drawing to a close. It has been a significant year in the acceptance of a plant based diet. The ex-president stating on nation television that he was a near vegan and his vice president finally admitting that livestock were the largest contributor to global warming.

It is my belief that it takes a crises to change human behavior and it was clear in 2011 that we were not short of crises. The weather on planet Earth was about as extreme as we have ever had in recorded history. Drought, floods, earth quakes, and blizzards were just some of the abnormal weather problem that greeted folks this year.

In 2011 I decided to limit my travel and public speaking. This allowed me to spend more time with my wife after over twenty years of almost continuous travel.

I'm surprised that Willow Jeane has not encouraged me to return to my former schedule. This year we took a vacation of over forty days driving over seven thousand miles visiting many of our relatives scattered all over North America. It was the first time my wife and I ever traveled without having to adhere to a speaking schedule. It was pure heaven.

Spending time in my garden, expanding our local vegetarian society, restoring our hundred year old Odd Fellow hall, and sleeping in my own bed is something I have put on hold for many years and I feel like I have died and gone to heaven.

I'm pleased that there are thousands of new plant eaters changing the world ever day and I'm sure that this is a train that has left the station and will not be stopped by cries of the animal industry.

Each and everyone of us must do what we can every day and there just may be a bright future for our children and grand children. Please join with me and do what you can and enjoy the changes as they happen.

2011 is the watershed year in our struggle and we are winning.

Your friend and fellow traveler, Howard"

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*01: The Vegan Mind-Bender Contest Winner/Challenge!
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LAST ISSUE'S MAD COWBOY VEGAN MIND-BENDER:
"Of the following, which is NOT one of the top five sources of energy for 2 - 3 year olds:

["For 2-18 year olds, the top sources of energy were grain desserts, pizza, and soda. Sugar-sweetened beverages (soda and fruit drinks combined) provided almost 10% of total calories consumed. Nearly 40% of total calories consumed by 2-18 year olds were in the form of empty calories from solid fat and from added sugars. Half of empty calories came from six foods: soda, fruit drinks, dairy desserts, grain desserts, pizza, and whole milk:

Congratulations to Karmy Mina of Rochester, NY, for correctly guessing (e) and winning the luck of the draw from all those who also picked (c) and/or (e).

THIS ISSUE'S MAD COWBOY VEGAN MIND-BENDER:

"Aside from having a diagnosis of heart disease-related concerns, there are 7 factors thought to be important for a healthy cardiovascular system. In 2009, 3 or more of these factors scored poorly in what percentage of U.S. adults?

(a) 72% (b) 51% (c) 44% (d) 38%

Please e-mail guesses to: webmaster@... with the word "contest" in your subject line by NLT January 31st, 2012. PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS (U.S. domestic only). It will not be sold nor given out to anyone but VegNews.

[Many thanks to Joe Connelly, Editor, VegNews, who has offered a FREE one-year subscription to a winner chosen at random those submitting the correct answer to each MC Newsletter's Contest. Our thanks to Joe, and you can learn more about VegNews at:

Through the imaginative use of grains (oats, quinoa, millet, rice, and barley) as well as legumes (such as chickpeas, black eyed peas, navy beans, dal) and various vegetables (artichokes, carrots, corn, etc.), the author has created unique "cheese-like" sauce recipes that range in taste texture from a delicate velvety sauce to a custard firmness.

Coupled with recipes for making pizza crusts (including gluten-free versions), several "bottom sauces" and total pizza concepts, this book will help anyone create the most nutritious and Heart Healthy Pizza possible.

At the following website, you can:

- read the cookbook's Foreward (written by Howard Lyman)
- view the Draft Table of Contents and Recipes Index
- see a slide show of photos taken during development & testing
- sign-up to be notified of when the book is available for pre-order or purchase online

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*03: Mad Cow Info Round-Up
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"HOW MAD COW DISEASE 'CAN BE SPREAD THROUGH AIR':" (01/14/11): "Mad cow disease can be spread by airborne particles, researchers warn. And they fear that those who work in abattoirs, slaughterhouses and laboratories could be at risk. Their study shows prions, the infectious agents which cause BSE and its human form, variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, can be dangerous if carried through the air. The discovery could also explain why some of the victims in the 1990s were vegetarians. Dr Aguzzi said health and safety rules in labs, slaughterhouses and animal feed plants did not usually include protection against airborne particles. This previously unappreciated risk for airborne prion transmission may warrant re-thinking on prion biosafety,' he said. However, patients with CJD pose little risk because they do not breathe out prions, he added."

"EUROPE'S WORST FOOD-POISONING: NEW STRAIN OF E.COLI:" (06/02/11): "LONDON -- Scientists on Thursday blamed Europe's worst recorded food-poisoning outbreak on a "super-toxic" strain of E. coli bacteria that may be brand new. But while suspicion has fallen on raw tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce as the source of the germ, researchers have been unable to pinpoint the food responsible for the frightening illness, which has killed at least 18 people, sickened more than 1,600 and spread to least 10 European countries. An alarmingly large number of victims - about 500 - have developed kidney complications that can be deadly. Chinese and German scientists analyzed the DNA of the E. coli bacteria and determined that the outbreak was caused by "an entirely new, super-toxic" strain that contains several antibiotic-resistant genes...the strain appeared to be a combination of two types of E. coli."

"LISTERIA CANTALOUPE OUTBREAK ENDS AS MOST DEADLY IN 100 YEARS:" (12/09/11): "A 28-state Listeria outbreak is over, with the sad distinction of being the most deadly outbreak of foodborne illness in the United States in 100 years. In the end, one out of every five of the victims died from the Listeria contamination spread by a locally grown but widely distributed variety of cantaloupes from Colorado. Thirty of 146 persons infected did not survive. A miscarriage suffered by an Iowa woman was also blamed on outbreak-related listeriosis... The onset of illnesses was from July 31 to Oct. 27. A majority of the victims, 58 percent, were females. Ages ranged from less than one year to 96 years. Median age of the victims was 77 years old.

...To find a more deadly outbreak of foodborne illness than this 30-death tragedy, one has go back to 1911 when contaminated raw milk killed 48 in Boston."

"SOUTH KOREA DIAGNOSES TWO CASES OF CJD WITHIN ONE YEAR:" (12/09/11): "November 2011, the Korean Center for Disease Control determined that a 54-year-old woman, who died earlier this year, died of iatrogenic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). After her death, doctors identified several defective prion proteins in her brain, signaling the presence of CJD. This week, a second individual (identity withheld for privacy reasons) was diagnosed with iatrogenic CJD. Both cases underwent brain surgery 23 years ago. During each surgery, a product called Lyodura was used for tissue grafting purposes. Lyrodura is often made of human dura mater, or the outermost of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, which is acquired post mortem. Officials believe this product may have been contaminated."

"HANNAFORD SALMONELLA OUTBREAK, A CONTINUING TREND OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE:" (12/12/11): "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported today that a total of 16 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium have been reported from 7 states... Preliminary testing shows that the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium is resistant to several commonly prescribed antibiotics. This antibiotic resistance may be associated with an increase in the risk of hospitalization or possible treatment failure in infected individuals. Epidemiologic and traceback investigations conducted by officials in local, state, and federal public health, agriculture, and regulatory agencies linked this outbreak to eating ground beef purchased from Hannaford stores."

"59 IN MISSISSIPPI ILL FROM SALMONELLA TIED TO ONE RESTAURANT:" (12/14/11): "The Salmonella outbreak in Corinth has now been pinned on a single restaurant, so there is no threat to the general public in northeast Mississippi, the state health department advises. But the Don Julio Mexican Restaurant in Corinth, MS is closed indefinitely after 59 of its customers and employees have returned cultures positive for Salmonella. "Our investigation has shown that the incident does not appear to be a food producer or supplier issue," Dr. Jessie R. Taylor, the Northeast Mississippi District health officer, said in a news release. "It appears to be an isolated problem with this particular restaurant, and the restaurant is working closely with us to correct the problem."

"HONG KONG CULLS THOUSANDS OF BIRDS AFTER VIRUS FOUND IN CHICKEN:" (12/21/11): "Health workers here began slaughtering more than 17,000 chickens on Wednesday after a carcass infected with bird flu was found at a poultry market, government officials said. It was the first large-scale culling in three years. The cull was part of a series of precautionary steps being taken after the chicken carcass was found to have a "highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus," York Chow, Hong Kong's secretary for food and health, said in a statement. Hong Kong officials also raised the territory's bird flu alert to "serious," increasing monitoring for influenza at hospitals and closed the market where the carcass was discovered until Jan. 12... "We have to be very cautious," he said, noting that the H5N1 virus has a mortality rate approaching 60 percent in humans. "But there is no need for panic."

"BEEF: IT'S NOT WHAT'S FOR DINNER:" (12/24/11): "The USDA estimates that the 2011 U.S. per capita beef consumption at close to 57 pounds, but that's down about 25 percent since 1980 and, due to a sour economy, it continues to fall. For the past decade, cattle ranchers and meat packers watched with despair as America's beef consumption steadily declined, ceding ground to leaner meats as well as vegetarian trends among the health-conscious. Most recently, high unemployment in the world's wealthiest nation had cash-strapped Americans avoiding restaurants where beef is a common entree and had them switching to lower cost non-meat dishes at home. USDA estimates 2011 U.S. per capita beef consumption at 57.4 lbs, down 13 percent from 10 years ago and down about 25 percent from 1980. In 2012, USDA predicts, Americans will eat 54.1 lbs of beef on average. "Americans are cutting back. We've consumed ourselves to a plateau, but the growth and demand is there for exports."

"BURGER CHAINS DROP USE OF 'PINK SLIME':" (12/26/11): "McDonald's and two other fast-food chains have stopped using an ammonia-treated burger ingredient that meat industry critics call the "pink slime," according to a report in the Sioux Falls, Argus Leader here The product, ammonium hydroxide, is widely used as low-fat beef filling in burger meat, including in school meals. But there have been attacks on its use by consumer food activists and high profile chefs such as Jamie Oliver who said, "Basically, we're taking a product that would be sold at the cheapest form for dogs, and after this process we can give it to humans," in a segment of his ABC television show, Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, that aired last spring.

...Critics of the use of such products in the meat industry say it raises serious questions about whether the huge factory farm and processing operations are relying too heavily on "chemical washes and other technology" to kill bacteria that is so prevalent because of the practices of that industry instead of doing more to prevent the contamination at the source by changing how animals are raised and slaughtered in the big meat processing plants.

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*04: NutritionFacts, Food Lobbying, US Heart Health, Lower Strokes
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"NUTRITIONFACTS - A NEW WEBSITE FEATURING DR. GREGER:" (2011): "The typical nutrition facts packaging label shows consumers a miniscule fraction of the estimated 100,000+ biological active constituents of food. How do you tell if it may actually help promote health and protect against disease?

It is estimated that North Americans spend in excess of $50 billion annually on diet products and self-help books and videos. However, given that Western society continues to see increased obesity and other "diseases of affluence" such as Type II diabetes, coronary heart disease and certain forms of cancer, much of that money is being wasted. We believe that a significant part of the problem is that individuals who want to make the correct nutritional choices for themselves and their families are faced with a deluge of confusing and conflicting nutritional advice. The goal of this website is to present you with the results of the latest in nutrition and health research, presented in a way that is easy to understand.

NUTRITIONFACTS.ORG is brought to you by the Jesse & Julie Rasch Foundation in partnership with Michael Greger, M.D. Dr. Greger scours the world of nutrition-related research, as published in scientific journals, and brings that information to you in short, easy to understand video segments. We also provide links to the original journal articles whenever possible so that you can source the information directly, if you so desire.

"FOOD LOBBYING TOPS $1 MILLION FOR SOME: (12/13/11): "A lot of the attention on the intersection between food and the U.S. legislature recently has focused on the impending revision of the Farm Bill. Thousands of jobs and the health of millions ride on the billions of dollars that will be doled out by the Farm Bill, so it's an understandable target of interest. But the Farm Bill is far from the only piece of legislature that affects the food world. In fact, every year, food and beverage companies spend tens of millions of dollars trying to influence dozens of bills under consideration by the Senate and House of Representatives. These bills ranges from overhauls of elementary school nutrition program to tweaks to rules on patent protection -- and all are subject to lobbying... Such detailed information on lobbying would have been almost impossible to find a few decades ago. But thanks to the magic of the Internet, it's now only a few clicks away. With the help of website OpenSecrets.org, we've assembled a list of the 10 food and beverage companies that have spent the most on lobbyists so far in 2011. Click through below to find out who "won" the dubious honors.

"U.S. HEART HEALTH: LOTS OF ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT:" (12/16/11): "Among seven factors for heart health, almost all Americans have at least one factor at a "poor" level. The American Heart Association has issued America's annual heart health report card. While there is good news, much of it is overshadowed by bad news, and we definitely have room for improvement. The death rate from heart disease and stroke dropped more than 30% between 1998 and 2008, but we're remiss on habits that help the heart, such as getting regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight... "We have a major tsunami that is threatening us. That is the obesity epidemic, which has been with us for 25 years. We are seeing the leading edge of this tsunami that is going to reverse many of the gains we have achieved in the last 40 years." "We need to get serious about the obesity epidemic yesterday," he [researcher Donald Lloyd-Jones] tells WebMD..."

"EATING FRUITS, VEGGIES MAY LOWER STROKE RISK:" (12/02/11): "Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains that are rich in antioxidants may help reduce a woman's risk of stroke, even if she has a history of heart disease, a new study suggests. It's thought that antioxidants may help protect against stroke by neutralizing damaging molecules called free radicals that are linked to heart disease and stroke. Fruits and vegetables contributed about half of the antioxidants in the diet of women with no history of heart disease... "Eating antioxidant-rich foods may reduce your risk of stroke by inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammation," said study author Susanne Rautiainen, a doctoral student at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.

For the study in this week's issue of Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association, Rautiainen and her co-authors followed more than 31,000 women without cardiovascular disease and another 5,700 women with that history who filled in questionnaires about their diet and other lifestyle factors."

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*05: Toughest Woman, Vegan Clinton, Ellen's Site, No. of US Vegans
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"VEGAN ATHLETE CROWNED WORLD'S TOUGHEST WOMAN:" (12/20/11): "Last weekend, vegan athlete Juliana Sproles was crowned the "toughest woman on the planet" after finishing the "The World's Toughest Mudder" competition, a 24-hour, mud-filled obstacle race in below-freezing temperatures. Sproles credits diligent training and a plant-based diet for her victory. Tough Mudder competitions are grueling endurance tests, typically 10-12 miles in length and featuring 20-30 challenging obstacles designed by the British Special Forces. The competitions test all-around strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie. At the end of each year, the top 5 percent of participants from previous Tough Mudder competitions are eligible to compete in the World's Toughest Mudder series final in order to "find the toughest man and woman on the planet.'''"

"BILL CLINTON'S VEGAN JOURNEY:" (08/18/11): "After undergoing two separate heart procedures since leaving office a decade ago, former President Bill Clinton changed his diet to slow the progression of heart disease. But when a doctor told him that more "intensive changes" were needed for someone with his family history of heart disease, Mr. Clinton - the man famous for his love of McDonald's and junk food - went vegan, or nearly so. "At Thanksgiving, I had one bite of turkey," he told CNN's chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.... The former president now says he consumes no meat, no dairy, no eggs, almost no oil. "I like the vegetables, the fruits, the beans, the stuff I eat now," Clinton told Gupta.

"ELLEN DEGENERES' NEW VEGAN WEB PAGE & BLOG:" (08/10/11): "Another sign that Ellen DeGeneres is passionate about promoting veganism: she just put up a new web page and blog devoted to the subject. The web page offers a nice collection of introductory material, and the blog seems to be updated whenever she covers something vegan on her show."

"HOW MANY ADULTS ARE VEGAN IN THE U.S.?: " (12/05/11): "With numerous groups pushing Meatless Mondays, Tofurky Tuesdays, or other campaigns to cut back on meat one meal or day per week, The Vegetarian Resource Group wondered how often Americans are eating vegetarian meals. In order to find an estimate, VRG commissioned Harris Interactive® to conduct a national telephone poll.

Seventeen percent of Americans stated that they "don't eat meat, fish, seafood, or poultry at many of my meals (but less than half the time)" and 16% don't eat these foods at more than half of their meals (but not all the time). Thus, 1/3 (33%) of the country are eating vegetarian meals a significant amount of the time (in addition to vegetarians)! This is certainly good news for companies producing vegetarian foods. No wonder why so many restaurants have added vegetarian options.

In a 2008 Vegetarian Resource Group national telephone survey, 40% said when eating out they often order a dish without meat, fish or fowl. For those of you trying to get a handle on the population very interested in vegetarian foods, though not vegetarian, it appears to be 30%  40% of the country..."

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*07: Monsanto Bugged, New Cow Gas Stats, Food/2011, Farmageddon
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"THE BUGS THAT ATE MONSANTO:" (12/13/11): "Now that 94 percent of the soy and 70 percent of the corn grown in the U.S. are genetically modified, Monsanto -- one of the companies that dominates the GMO seed market -- might look to some like it's winning. But if we look a little closer, I'd say they're holding on by a thread... Over the last several years, so-called "superweeds" have grown resistant to the herbicide RoundUp, the companion product that's made Monsanto's herbicide-tolerant (aka RoundUp-Ready) corn, soy, and alfalfa so popular... The superweed problem is so bad that farmers in some parts of the country are abandoning thousands of acres because the weeds are so out of control, or dousing the crops with ever more toxic (and expensive) combinations of other herbicides... And now Monsanto's other flagship product line, the pesticide-producing "Bt crops," named for the pesticide they are genetically modified to emit, is in trouble.

... In a new report [PDF] -- unpublicized and buried deep in a government website -- and analyzed in detail over at Mother Jones, the EPA confirms many anti-GMO activists' deepest fears. The report "officially" found evidence that corn rootworms, a major pest for corngrowers, have grown resistant to Bt in several states; even worse, that resistance is strong enough that EPA scientists are insisting the company implement a "remedial action plan." In addition, the report criticizes Monsanto for missing the rise of the rootworm resistance problem via its faulty monitoring system..."

"THE GOOD FOOD NEWS OF 2011:'' (12/22/11): "
1. Urban farming is flourishing.
2. Young farmers make noise.
3. Local food isn't just delicious and eco-friendly.
4. Food Day makes a comeback.
5. We don't need industrial ag to feed the world.
6. Despite the influence of the ultra-consolidated meat industry, the "ag-gag" bills went nowhere.
7. Eaters are (a little) more aware of the people behind their food.
8. Food access got more attention.
9. More information helps eaters make better choices.
10. The Occupy movement adds fuel to the fire."

"51% OF GREENHOUSE GASES EMISSION FROM LIVESTOCK:" (11/2011): "A recent authoritative report published by the World Watch institute, authors Goodland and Anhang concluded that over 51% of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions come from Livestock. A widely cited 2006 report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, Livestock's Long Shadow, estimates that 18 percent of annual worldwide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are attributable to livestock .however recent analysis by Goodland and Anhang co-authors of "Livestock and Climate Change" in the latest issue of World Watch magazine found that livestock and their byproducts actually account for at least 32.6 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year, or 51 percent of annual worldwide GHG emissions..."

[Edited from the website where you can also automatically send an e-mail of concern to a representative or environmental minister:http://51percent.org/

"FARMAGEDDON VIEWING ON CAPITAL HILL A SUCCESS:" (12/16/11): "WASHINGTON, December 16, 2011- This week a special viewing of "Farmageddon- the Unseen War on America's Farms" was screened in the Capital Building for members of congress and the senate.

Farmageddon vividly conveys the stories of numerous farmers who found themselves on the wrong side of government food policy. New laws and rulings have adversely affected small farms and organic buying clubs, and have gotten the attention our politicians... Also in attendance and fielding questions were Linda and Larry Failace- Linda and Larry appear in the film, and Linda is the Author of "Mad Sheep,"the personal story of her own experience being raided by the USDA and having her sheep confiscated because of fears of Mad Cow disease.

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*08: Corp./Animal Rights, Swine Case, Crow Tools, AETA Challenged
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"IF CORPORATIONS HAVE RIGHTS LIKE PEOPLE, SHOULDN'T ANIMALS?" 12/22/11: "[Wise's] grand ambition is for nothing short of a legal revolution. He wants to systematically overturn more than 2,000 years of law by winning basic common law rights for other sentient beings we now know suffer, feel fear, have complex emotions, and possess sometimes startling levels of intelligence. Welfare laws notwithstanding, unless they are "legal persons," to Wise they have no rights at all in the eyes of the law and therefore their lives don't count... He walked away from his comfortable 18-year law partnership and founded The Center for the Expansion of Fundamental Rights, the world's first nonprofit dedicated to achieving legal rights for nonhuman primates, and later the Nonhuman Rights Project... Animal law is a growth industry. "I would call it an emerging field," says Frankie Trull, founder and president of the Foundation for Biomedical Research. "It's in its infancy." Harvard and Georgetown law schools first offered animal law courses in 1999. Now, approximately 121 U.S. law schools, including the top 10, offer them. There are 160 Student Animal Legal Defense Fund chapters nationally. And by April 2011, 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands had elevated some animal cruelty crimes from misdemeanors to felonies..."

"SUPREME COURT HEARS ARGUMENTS ON DOWNED SWINE:" (12/14/11): "U.S. Supreme Court justices will decide whether California law can prevent the slaughter of nonambulatory swine within the state. In National Meat Association v. Harris, the meat industry organization is fighting legislation passed in January 2008 that requires immediate euthanasia of any nonambulatory animal at a federally inspected slaughterhouse. The federal government is supporting the industry's appeal. The state law was passed in response to footage released in January 2008 that showed abuse of nonambulatory cows at the Hallmark/Westland Meat Co. slaughterhouse in Chino, Calif. The Humane Society of the United States released the video. The complaint filed by the National Meat Association in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California focuses on the state law's prohibitions on the sale, receipt, or processing of nonambulatory swine or products from such swine within the state. The association argued that federal regulations govern handling of fatigued and stressed swine, which are usually able to stand and walk after rest and supervision and are not disabled because of disease..."

"CURIOUS CROWS USE TOOLS TO EXPLORE DANGEROUS OBJECTS:" (01/14/11): "What happens when a New Caledonian crow meets a toy rubber spider? New Caledonian crows use tools to investigate unfamiliar and potentially dangerous objects, according to scientists. New research shows crows cautiously investigating new objects using sticks as an extension of their beaks. New Caledonian crows are known to fashion tools to access food sources such as wood-boring beetle larvae. Scientists suggest this study is the first time birds have been recorded using tools for multiple purposes... The findings are published in the journal Animal Cognition..."

"ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS SUE TO CHALLENGE FEDERAL LAW - AETA:" (12/15/11): "BOSTON  A group of animal rights activists sued the U.S. government Thursday to challenge the constitutionality of a rarely used law they say treats them like terrorists if they cause a loss in profits for businesses that use or sell animal products. Five activists represented by the Center for Constitutional Rights filed the lawsuit in federal court in Boston, asking that the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act [AETA] be struck down as unconstitutional because it has a chilling effect on lawful protest activities. Staff attorney Rachel Meeropol said the 2006 law has left activists afraid to participate in public protests out of fear they will be prosecuted. "There are many terms in the law that are not defined, and because of that protesters don't have notice that certain conduct is going to violate the statute and what conduct is protected by the First Amendment," Meeropol said. "Some of my clients want to engage in simple public protests  perhaps in front of a fur store  to change public opinion about fur," she said. "But they feel restricted from engaging in that clearly lawful activity because under the plain language of the law, if that protest is successful in convincing consumers not to shop at that fur store, they could be charged as terrorists..."

"Really, this [heart] disease is kind of a paper tiger. Chronic heart disease is not inevitably progressive, like cancer, this is something that really can be changed, can be changed drastically when you make significant changes in the nutritional profile."

--- Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn (February 2007, "Mad Cowboy Interview")

"In my opinion, cheese is to heart disease what water is to drowning. Vegan pizza was as rare as seeing hair on a frog."

---- Howard Lyman (Foreward, "Heart Healthy Pizza")

"If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on."

--- Steve Jobs ("Steve Jobs", by Walter Isaacson)

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